CLEAVER OF SIN - Chapter 372

Chapter 372: Guttural Cry
Asher sighed at the sight before him. Although he had been in Crymora for over a year, he still could not grow accustomed to the way people reacted whenever he mentioned the name Wargrave. No matter how many times he witnessed it, the sudden panic, the trembling, and the frantic bowing always left an odd weight in the air, as if the very sound of the name carried an invisible pressure that forced lesser hearts to shrink.

“Don’t think too much about it. Let’s just begin the mission,” he said, his tone flat and his expression utterly apathetic, devoid of anything that could be interpreted as concern or interest.

Norman forced a smile and nodded stiffly. Asher’s eyes shifted toward Clara; even without trying, he could tell she was panicking. Her fingers trembled slightly where they gripped her sleeve, and her gaze kept drifting downward, avoiding his eyes entirely. He said nothing, offering neither comfort nor reprimand.

“Let’s move then,” Norman announced. With that signal, Asher, Finch, and William rose to their feet. Finch pulled his cloak around his shoulders once more, covering his face with the hood in a smooth, practiced motion. Together, the group walked out of the room, Norman leading, with Clara, Aiden, Samuel, Daniel, Finch, William, and Asher following in sequence.

They descended the wooden stairs and arrived in the lobby. Norman approached the receptionist, whom Asher had pointedly ignored earlier, and after a brief exchange, she guided them to the space where Norman had parked his carriage. When they arrived, Asher’s eyes scanned the large wooden structure with a calm but discerning gaze. After a moment of quiet inspection, he simply nodded.

“Aiden will control the Enduron horses that will pull the carriage, and we need to buy three more Enduron horses,” Norman instructed. A pouch of coins appeared in his palm, which he promptly tossed to Daniel. Daniel rushed off toward the nearby stalls to purchase three Enduron horses for Asher, William, and Finch. Norman’s own team already had their mounts prepared and waiting.

Before long, everything was arranged. Daniel returned, guiding three muscular Enduron horses by their reins. With deft ease, Asher mounted his assigned horse, and William and Finch mirrored his movements with practiced precision. Aiden flicked the reins of the horses pulling the carriage, and immediately the journey began, the wheels rolling forward as the entire formation surged into motion.

They rode through the Whale Barony. Within minutes, they arrived at the massive walls, though this time they approached a different gate, as the entry and exit gates were separate. After a brief but thorough identity check, the group passed through the walls and officially left the Whale Barony behind.

Their formation was simple yet structured. Aiden controlled the horses pulling the carriage. Clara and Norman positioned themselves at the front right, while Daniel and Samuel held the front left. Asher, William, and Finch rode behind them, forming the rear guard.

The rhythmic sound of hooves slamming against the earth echoed through the vast, open land as they pushed forward. The world blurred around them. Shades of green from towering trees, deep browns from the earth beneath, and the endless clear blue sky overhead formed a unified palette of motion and color. For the moment, the scenery was peaceful, almost deceptively so.

Everyone’s expressions were serious. No one spoke for a while; silence settled like a veil, broken only by the steady thundering of hooves.

“Tenth Sun,” Norman finally said, breaking the quiet. “In case you get thirsty or hungry during the journey, please inform me. I have enough food and rations for all of us.” He turned his head slightly as he spoke, smiling as his dark eyes met Asher’s purple ones.

Asher simply nodded, offering no verbal response. He had the food Lyra prepared for him; he was certain that whatever Norman carried could not possibly compare to what Lyra had cooked.

Finch and William’s lips twitched faintly at the scene. Norman had spoken as if the two of them did not exist, as if only Asher, the Tenth Sun, a Ducal heir, was worth addressing. Norman could not be entirely blamed; the difference in status between a Duke and a Baron was simply too vast, too insurmountable for most people to ignore.

Hours blurred together as they continued forward. Eventually, heavy stomps echoed from the side of the forest. Asher did not even need to turn his head to identify the creatures approaching. The deep, rhythmic tremors vibrating through the ground made them unmistakable, heavy beast.

“It seems our first monster wave is here,” Daniel said, a grin curving his lips. “From the heaviness of the stomps, they’re either Orcs or Trolls.”

Nobody moved. Norman was the group leader, and until he gave an order, no one was to engage. Besides, it was common sense during an escort mission not to leave the carriage undefended until the enemy reached striking distance.

The stomps drew closer, louder, heavier. Trees snapped and crashed to the sides as the creatures barreled forward, reducing smaller trunks to splinters with sheer physical force. Moments later, the monsters emerged into view. Five Orcs, massive, green-skinned, muscular creatures, each with large tusks jutting upward from their mouths. Their heavy breathing rumbled like distant thunder.

“Daniel, Samuel. Handle it,” Norman commanded sharply.

Without hesitation, the two of them vanished from their horses, their bodies launching forward in explosive bursts of speed. They shot upward, then angled toward the Orcs like arrows fired from a bow.

Daniel’s muscles tensed beneath his armor, bulging with power. His hammer soared high into the sky before he brought it crashing downward. One of the Orcs responded with a thunderous roar and swung its own massive hammer upward. The resulting collision created a cataclysmic shockwave, wind detonated outward, ripping through trees and sending dirt flying in all directions.

But Daniel was not here to exchange blows or revel in prolonged combat. He was on a mission, and escort missions had strict rules, one of them being to end fights quickly, cleanly, and with minimal use of Astra or stamina.

Although the Orc towered over him and possessed greater natural physical strength, Daniel did not lose in raw power. His Life Rank closed the gap. With deft motion, he deflected the Orc’s hammer to the side. His form blurred as he shot forward, his hammer tearing through the air before crashing into the Orc’s knee with crushing force.

The Orc screamed, staggering as its knee buckled. But Daniel was relentless. He flashed behind it and brought his hammer down again, this time smashing into the creature’s second knee. Bone shattered. The Orc collapsed with a guttural cry.

Orcs possessed impressive regenerative abilities, but Daniel had no intention of giving this one the chance to heal. His body blurred once more as he launched himself upward, appearing before the Orc’s massive face. With a brutal, finishing swing, his hammer tore into its skull, obliterating its brain.

Brain matter splattered across the earth as blood pooled beneath the fallen creature. The metallic scent of it filled the air instantly. But Daniel did not pause. There were still four Orcs left, and Samuel was already engaged with them.

His form blurred again as he shot toward Samuel’s side, ready to continue the swift, merciless cleanup of the monster wave.